The PDB Situation Report | August 1st, 2026: Annie Jacobsen’s Terrifying Warning About Biological War

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**Mike Baker** (1:07)
Welcome to the PDB Situation Report. I'm Mike Baker, and you're eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First up, what would happen if the next weapon of mass destruction wasn't a nuclear bomb but a deadly engineered pathogen? Now, that's exactly the question that investigative journalist Annie Jacobsen explores in her new book, Biological War, A Scenario. She joins me to discuss the frightening realities of biological warfare.
Later in the show, we'll examine the latest developments in the war between the US and Iran and where the conflict may be headed next. Joining me for that conversation is Cliff May, founder and president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. But first, today's Situation Report Spotlight.
Here on the PDB, we spend a lot of time talking about the threat of nuclear weapons, whether it's Vladimir Putin's nuclear saber-rattling, North Korea's expanding arsenal or Iran's race to build a nuclear bomb. Those are the dangers we tend to think of when we talk about weapons of mass destruction. What if the next global catastrophe didn't arrive in the form of a mushroom cloud, but an invisible pathogen? It's a question that's becoming increasingly urgent as advances in biotechnology make it easier than ever to manipulate dangerous viruses and bacteria, while governments warn that biological weapons programs continue to operate around the world. Well, there's a cheery thought. Investigative journalist Annie Jacobsen explores the frightening possibility in her new book, Biological War, A Scenario, using expert interviews and minute-by-minute account to examine how a biological attack or even a catastrophic lab accident could unfold. That sounds somewhat familiar from our recent past, doesn't it? Joining me now is best-selling author Annie Jacobsen. Annie, thank you so much for being here on The Situation Report.

**Annie Jacobsen** (2:57)
Thanks for having me.

**Mike Baker** (2:58)
Talk if you could, try to set up for the viewers. Tell us just a little bit about, we're here to talk about this new book, but tell me a little bit about your previous book, if you could.

**Annie Jacobsen** (3:09)
Well, I'm the author of eight books, and I'm guessing you're referring to my book right before this, which is Nuclear War, A Scenario.
That was the first time I strayed from history into the future. I wanted to model the Nuclear War book and now the bio book after war games that are done at the Pentagon, and also with bio pandemic planning games that are done by public health officials.

**Mike Baker** (3:38)
So, I guess, I mean, obviously, when people see that your book, this new book, Biological Warfare, they're going to, I think, their minds going to go straight to the pandemic, obviously the COVID. Because it, depending on who you talk to, I guess it's either modern history, recent history or ancient history. It's really interesting how quickly some people have just put that in the background. But is this in terms of a biological attack in the present moment?
Is it a current concern? Is it something when you started doing these interviews, you started talking to experts, was it something that was top of mind for them or did they have to sort of dust off their old concerns and say, well, let's revisit this idea?

**Annie Jacobsen** (4:25)
Not only is it top of mind, I learned it's actually considered at the Defense Department, which I will continue calling, it's the greatest overall threat.
Nuclear being the most destructive, but bio being the greatest overall threat, because it's the most likely. I mean, look, your COVID reference is very important because we now know that a biological catastrophe is not theoretical. And now on top of that, when you consider that mother nature's pathogens can be genetically modified, very easily, very low bar for entry for human to human transmission, greater virulence, able to defeat medical countermeasures like vaccines and antibiotics, you throw that all into the mix as I show the readers in an unfortunately very dramatic fashion, you realize why it's the greatest overall threat.